Reggie's Secret Santas
by VUWildcat
Summary: The holidays are approaching. Only this year, something is different. When Reggie begins receiving gifts and notes from two different “secret admirers”, tension builds among the group. Will Reggie find out who Cupid’s arrows have hit?
1. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

**Chapter 1-It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year**

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A/N: This story was inspired by the upcoming RP book "Reggie's Secret Admirer".  As it has not been released yet, I do not know what the plot of the story will involve and I apologize if any segments of this fanfic end up being similar to the actual story.

I know that many viewers and fans are divided over which of the two boys in the gang would make a suitable boyfriend for Reggie: Sam or Twister.  Unfortunately, there are many instances in RP episodes that support either Sam or Twister as having a crush on Reggie (or vice-versa).  Seeing the equal arguments on both sides, I do not have a clear preference.  However, I thought it would be fun to think "What if both had a crush on Reggie?"  How would she react?  Well, you're about to find out what I think would happen.  Hope you enjoy this.

P.S. I better add this disclaimer: Rocket Power is a registered trademark of Nickelodeon and Klasky-Csupo; I have no ownership in the program. All other references to real objects and places are respective trademarks of their respective companies.

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_Reggie is 17; Otto, Twister, and Sam are about 16 (give or take a few months)_

It was early December and the booming coastal town of Ocean Shores, California was busily preparing itself for the upcoming holiday season.  As Southern California was rarely cold enough for snow, the residents in the town created some unique decorations in addition to the traditional pine trees brought down from the colder regions of Washington state.  In fact, it was not uncommon to see a palm tree or a cactus decorated with holiday lights.  The town even strung Christmas lights among the pine trees lining its main streets.  Of course, the centerpiece of the town's festive preparations was the Pier.  All of the railings glittered in a rainbow of colors from the holiday lights strung there.  The light poles had wreaths of holly and red bows that had been carefully hung.  And where the pier met the main street, a huge 25-foot Blue Spruce was adorned with a plethora of traditional and icicle lights, topped off with a sparkling jeweled star.

For local entrepreneur Ray Rocket, the holidays were a bittersweet time.  Sure, he enjoyed the sights, the sounds, and the smells that came with the final two months of the year.  However, there was something—or someone missing.  What made the holidays hard for Ray was the absence of his dearly-beloved wife who died tragically at a young age, leaving him alone to raise his son and daughter.  He remembered how fun and magical the holidays had been with her, and now that she was gone, the season reminded Ray of his deceased spouse.  While he was often depressed at these thoughts, he tried to hide it.  After all, he didn't want his kids to think too much about their long-lost mother.

"Hey Tito, would you mind handing me another set of icicle lights?" Ray asked while working to pin the decorations for his shore-side restaurant, The Shore Shack.

"Here you are, bruddah," responded a heavyset but jolly man, who emerged from the back with several cases of wreaths, signs, and, of course, lights.  In fact, his jolliness and physical stature would have made him the perfect candidate for a Santa Claus on the island of Hawaii, which happened to be his place of birth.  Although Tito Makani's family was over 1000 miles away, he didn't seem to mind most of the time, even during the holidays.  He had occasionally visited his relatives back in Pineapple County, but he equally enjoyed spending time with his business partner and the kids he affectionately referred to as his "little cuzzes."

"Hey, Rocket Boy!  Mind giving Tito a hand with the holly over the counter?" Ray yelled to the back.

Suddenly, a tall teenage boy with braided red hair and dark glasses burst through the kitchen doors, pushing himself along on his prized skateboard.  Otto Rocket was barely old enough to drive a car, but had already mastered another vehicle with 4 wheels—the skateboard.  In fact, Otto's shelves in his bedroom were crammed with trophies from a myriad of competitions, including Otto's most prized accomplishment—placing second in his division at the X-Games the previous summer.  Of course, his new, tall stature and more advanced skills weren't the only things that had changed for Otto.  In high school, Otto was pulling a 3.88 GPA, had been elected captain of the school street hockey team as a sophomore, and was attracting the prettiest girls in school.

"Sure thing, Raymundo!" Otto replied to his father.  Otto jumped off his skateboard, but failed to stop it.  The board coasted toward Ray, who was standing on a chair while doing his work.  The skateboard hit the chair with enough force to temporarily affect Ray's balance.

"Whoa.  Otto!  Why are you always on your skateboard, even in the Shack!?" questioned his father.

"Come on, Dad.  I'm never gonna keep my position as the 'Best Junior Skater in California' if I don't keep my skills sharp," Otto replied.  Yep, one thing about Otto sure hadn't changed: he still wanted to be the best he could be.

As Otto and Tito worked pinning the string of holly on the rafter above the main counter, Tito commented to Ray, "I wonder where Reggie is?"

"Reggie?  She had a sleepover with her friends, Trish and Sherry.  She's supposed to be here any second," responded Ray.  Now that he thought of it, he hoped she would arrive soon.  There was a lot of work to be done and Ray wanted to get done quickly—he still had plenty of shopping to do with only a few weeks left.  He didn't want the kids to be around so he wanted to go when he was done decorating and while his kids were at hockey practice or at school.

To pass the time, Otto, Tito, and Ray began to discuss their plans for the upcoming Winter Break.  The two business partners, Ray's kids, and their friends had an annual tradition of traveling to the local winter sports spot, Mount Baldy.  However, they wanted to try something different and go up to the Sierra Nevada range where the conditions for skiing and snowboarding were supposed to be even better.  

As they rattled ideas back and forth, they failed to notice a tall boy wearing a hooded jacket, khaki pants, and sneakers.  He cautiously walked up to the edge of the building, looked cautiously at Otto to make sure he wasn't looking, and took out of his pocket a little box wrapped in red paper.  Attached was a card and outside the card was addressed to "The Princess of My Life—Reggie."  The boy carefully placed the box on one of the tables close to the outside and casually walked away, hoping that when Reggie came, she would find the box and open it. 

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A/N: Please review this story as this is the first fanfic I have ever published.  I will post the next chapter when I can (after all, school comes first).  Please post positive reviews or use constructive criticism.  As one RP fanfic writer once said, any flames will be used to toast marshmallows :)


	2. Love is in the Air

**Chapter 2 - Love is in the Air**

A/N: I changed the story to PG-13 because of a few indirect references—you know, teen stuff.  The rating might be a little high, but I wanted to be safe.

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It was 11AM and the cul-de-sac containing the Rockets' house was quiet.  It was, after all, a Saturday morning and many residents decided to take it easy and sleep in.  However, one boy, had other plans.  About two hours earlier, a rather tall, somewhat heavyset teenager crept quietly across the street and, making sure nobody was watching, approached the Rockets' mailbox.  He slowly opened it and placed a small envelope inside.  The envelope was addressed to "Reggie-my Juliet."  Afterwards, he quietly slipped back to his house and closed the door.  He thought his operation had been a success, but someone was about to tell him otherwise.

"Samuel L. Dullard, where have you been?" yelled a familiar feminine voice.

"Just getting the paper, Mom, like you asked me to," the boy replied.

"Well it didn't seem like it.  That should have taken you 30 seconds and you were outside," she spoke as she checked her watch, "four minutes."

"I was, uh…" Sam hesitated until he thought of an excuse.  "I was…helping Mr. Stimpleton assemble his holiday train set."

"Oh, OK.  But you could have just told me," replied his still overprotective Mom.

"Phew.  Close call" Sam thought.  Little did he know though that someone else had also left a little surprise for Reggie back at the Shore Shack around the exact same time.

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"Bye Reg!  We'll see you on Monday!" yelled a blond-haired teenage girl.  She and her friend were stepping out of the Rockets' house after spending a wonderful night sleeping over with their best friend, Reggie Rocket.  They had stayed up until the early morning singing karaoke, playing board games, and chatting about various "girl" topics including the ever-popular topic of boys.

            They had all admitted that they had a crush on the New Zealand boy named Trent.  After all, which girl in the town had not been mesmerized by his physical build, his unique accent, or his surfing moves that, at such a young age, would even make Kelly Slater jealous.  Of course, they knew that Trent apparently had a thing for Reggie.  He frequently invited her out for surf sessions and had even taken her out to dinner and to a movie.  While they had not become "boyfriend and girlfriend" yet, taking that step would be very easy.

            However, there were other boys also discussed at the slumber party.  Among them were two boys very close to Reggie, both physically and emotionally.  The Rockets' two young neighbors, Twister Rodriguez and Sam Dullard, followed Otto and Reggie on virtually every excursion, even their trips to Mt. Baldy and New Zealand.  In fact, one could say that the Rockets had adopted Twister and Sam in to their own family.

            They all agreed that their tall, Hispanic friend, although he could be clueless and naïve at times, was very cute.  They also admitted that Sam was also cute, but did not go as far as the singer Shaffika had by thinking of him as a "troll doll."  In the process, however, nobody admitted or denied that any one of these boys could end up being their date, especially for the upcoming Senior Prom in the spring. 

            Once Trish and Sherry had left, Reggie returned to her room and went to shower.  In the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror.  She had definitely changed since those carefree pre-teen days that had brought her and the gang closer.  She was still very thin at the hips, but it had seemed that her growth had hit in just the right places—all the places where the boys were sure to look.  Her torso had also grown some curves which complemented her sleek and slim stature.  However, her involvement on the school beach volleyball and street hockey teams placed her in the weight room quite frequently and all of her hard work showed whenever she was in a tank top or swimsuit.  She had, consequently, earned the titles "hottie" and "babe" from many of the guys in school.  Also, her physique showed so much when she was out surfing that not only would she turn many of the boys' heads, but also have some them running away as so to avoid embarrassment from their natural, and sometimes uncontrollable, reactions.

            After putting on her usual red t-shirt, camouflage pants, and red tennis shoes, she slipped on a purple sweater as it was kind of cool that morning.  Finally, she left the house as she had promised to meet her father at the Shore Shack around Noon to help decorate.  On the way out, she decided to check the mail.  After all, she had ordered some Christmas presents on the Internet and wanted to make sure Otto and Raymundo didn't get to them before she did.  After sorting through the usual assortment of bills, credit card offers, and catalogs, something caught her eye.  It was the envelope that had been carefully placed in there a few hours back.

            After reading the outside of the envelope, the curious girl opened it up to eagerly discover its contents.  Her eyes lit up as she read the note:

_Dear Reggie,_

                                    Words cannot fully express how I feel for you.  From the day our eyes met, I knew there was something special between us.  I read every issue of your Zine and think your articles flow as smoothly as the poems of the greatest writers.  Your voice is like music to my ears.  I hope you enjoy what you find in here.

                                    Love,

                                    Your Romeo

            Inside was a $15 gift card to American Eagle.  She loved that store!  How did he know that?  What made Reggie's heart beat even faster was the thoughtful line from "Romeo and Juliet" that had been inserted:

_But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?  
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.  
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,  
Who is already sick and pale with grief  
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.  
...The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars  
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven  
Would through the airy region stream so bright  
That birds would sing and think it were not night._

            "Wow!"  Reggie thought.  "Somebody must really love me.  I can't wait to tell the guys about this."

            With that thought, she grabbed her skateboard and headed down the hill towards the Pier, unaware of the surprise awaiting her there.


	3. Double Trouble

**Chapter 3 – Double Trouble**

            "Oh my gosh.  That is absolutely beautiful!" shouted Reggie.  Upon walking in to the Shore Shack, she noticed the little red package sitting on one of the tables.  Seeing that it was addressed to her, she had thought, "Maybe this is another package from my secret admirer."  However, upon opening the card, she was completely shocked to discover that the handwriting on this note was entirely different.  She thought it could still be the same person, but that was pretty unlikely.  Turning to the box, she opened it and found a thoughtfully-chosen charm bracelet with four charms that reflected her favorite sports activities: a skateboard, a surfboard, a hockey stick, and a volleyball.  As for the note, the contents said:

_                        Roses are red, violets are blue_

_                        The sunset is beautiful, and so are you._

_                        I've always looked up to you as my hero.  You are one of the strongest people I know, especially since you are surrounded by males and have few females to turn to.  I will be there for you as long as I am around here, even though I am a guy.  I love you so much, I would do anything for you, even harm myself to save you.  You will always have a place in my heart._

_                        Love,_

_Your Masked Lover (Zorro)_

            As she was finishing her card, Twister and Sam entered and stood beside Otto.  They had seen each other while exiting their houses to go to the Shack and decided to walk together, each unaware of what the other had done.  When they saw the confused and somewhat disturbed face of Otto, they couldn't help but ask "What's eating you, O-Man?"

            "Dude, I think someone's stalking my sister," Otto replied.

            "What do you mean?" Sam questioned curiously.

            Otto then explained everything Reggie had told him (as well as Ray and Tito) about the letter in the mail.  Then she had discovered this package.

            Sam and Twister then stared at Reggie both with faces that resembled a cross between guilt and concern.  Of course, neither noticed the face of the other, but they both knew they had competition as neither one had hid two gifts for Reggie.  The question was: Who is the other boy?

            Reggie turned around and saw the faces of the three boys.  Thinking that the boys might be playing a trick on her, she smiled and questioned, "OK you goobers.  Why do you guys look like you're hiding something?"

            Otto replied, "Me?  Come on, sis.  Why would I do something like this?  I just don't like the looks of this."

            Twister added, "Uh.  Yeah.  We were just, uh, curious!  Hey, it's not every day you get something like that," as he pointed to the bracelet.

            Sam, after hesitating for a few seconds, asked to see both notes.  Reggie happily complied.  Sam examined the handwriting and said "Besides, Reg.  There's no way these notes could be ours.  None of us write like that."

            Reggie looked at the notes.  Sam was right.  She had seen the handwriting of all three boys and she knew that nobody had handwriting like that on the notes.  The notes looked too professional to be crafted by the hands of Otto and, especially, Twister.  Even Sam couldn't forge such handwriting.

            "Wow, Reggie.  What do you think you are going to do?" Twister asked nervously.

            "Not much I can do," Reggie replied.  "I've only received one thing from each guy.  I guess I have to wait until something more, if anything, happens.  Besides, I don't know who these two guys are."

            "Right you are," Sam replied with a little more certainty.

            "Uh, guys," Ray interjected.  "I know this Secret Santa stuff is keeping you busy, but do you mind giving us a hand since we're supposed to be decorating?"

            "Secret Santa," thought Reggie.  "Well, I guess Santa Claus now has an equal somewhere out there."  Whoever these guys were, they had her attention and she thought they were sweet with their messages and gifts.  She would love to meet them, but it would involve some detective work.  As to the possibility that she would have to choose one over the other (if it came to that point), she knew she would have to wait to see the true identities of Zorro and Romeo.

            "Coming, Raymundo!" she replied enthusiastically.  

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A/N: Sorry this chapter is short.  I keep just producing these rather quickly.  This one was based on the cover art for the actual RP book "Reggie's Secret Admirer" (of course, with a few changes).  I have more school work to do so I will probably take my time on the next chapters but they'll be up soon enough.

In the meantime, here's a trivia question that relates to something in the story:

True or False: A skiing spot named Mount Baldy really exists.

The answer will be revealed at the beginning of the next chapter.


	4. Shop 'til You Drop

**Chapter 4 – Shop 'til You Drop**

A/N: In response to the trivia question from the last chapter, the answer is True.  There is a real Mt. Baldy ski resort and it is within an easy drive of the Los Angeles area, so it is realistic that the Rockets seem to go there quite frequently.

Anyway, all the references to stores and stuff are real and do exist.  I know that Ocean Shores is a copy of the real Santa Monica, but let's assume that they're two separate cities, both with boardwalks and piers.

I gave the Rocket family a new car—don't worry, though.  They still have the Woody wagon. It just got harder to transport 4 tall teenagers and all their sports gear in that car.

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            "I still can't believe that you still haven't figured out who's giving you all that stuff!" Otto commented to his sister, who was behind the wheel of the family's 2003 Honda Pilot.

            "I told you I've gone through the list of suspects and nobody seems to match!" Reggie yelled.  She was trying to pay attention to the road as she was traveling up the Pacific Coast Highway towards Santa Monica.  It was crazy enough normally, but with all the pre-holiday traffic, everybody was in a hurry and it showed.  Reggie didn't want to wreck her dad's new SUV or injure her brother or Twister or Sam, who were sitting in the second row seats.  They were all headed to Santa Monica Place, a large, upscale shopping mall located right along the Third Street Promenade.  With only 7 shopping days left until the big holiday, Reggie wanted to get out and buy all her gifts.  Of course, she invited her brother, Sam, and Twister to come along so they could shop in secrecy (without their parents around).  Besides, Ray had let her borrow the car that day—he said he had "other things to do", whatever that meant.

It had been two weeks since the letters and gifts had started to trickle in.  She had received a whole range of gifts.  In addition to the traditional boxes of locally-made chocolates and salt-water taffy, she received a dozen roses hand-delivered by the local florist, gift certificates, and even a new desktop-publishing software program for her laptop.  Sure, she felt special with all the merchandise she had been receiving in the mail, on her doorstep, and even in her hockey bag, but what really tugged at her heart strings were the letters.  They contained the same amount of emotion as before, but they began to become more and more creative.  One day, she received a note that had been carefully inserted through a vent hole in her locker.  After opening up the card, she found a CD lying below where the card had been.  On her walk home, she popped it in to her Walkman and played it through.  The first few songs were from her favorite groups: Good Charlotte, Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne.  However, the final song touched her so much that she almost cried in public.  The song was "If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bettingfield.  She knew that this boy was dearly in love with him.  It just bugged her that nobody in school recognized the handwriting, so the mystery boy remained at-large.  That same day, she found another card and CD on her doorstep.  However, this time, it was from her second "Secret Santa" and the music was a little different.  Although Reggie had grown out of N*SYNC, the songs that were on this CD were very appropriate.  The first song again almost brought Reggie to tears as she smiled and listened to "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time on You."  The other song that caught her attention was Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You."  

"Fascinating," Reggie thought as she finished listening to the second CD.  "These guys must have known me for quite a while if they have such strong emotions and know my tastes in music."  Although part of her had hoped that Trent was one of the elusive boys, she knew that it was very unlikely.  The handwriting was nowhere close to his.  Besides, she would have expected at least one gift from New Zealand or maybe a song from a New Zealand artist.  Initially, she hadn't ruled anybody out, but the list was getting shorter and shorter.  She knew she needed some help so she enlisted the help of Trish and Sherry, who were going to meet Reggie back home after they had returned from shopping.

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            Finally, the gang arrived at Santa Monica Place.  To make sure they could conquer all three floors of the immense complex and hide their gifts from each other, the gang split up, agreeing to meet up in a few hours.  Otto went straight to Pacific Sunwear to check out their latest extreme-sport-themed clothing.  He had bought Twister a Best Buy gift card so he could buy more camcorder tapes and stuff.  As for Reggie, Raymundo was taking care of her present and he would chip in a small amount for it.  He needed to find something for Sam, but he figured he had some time left to think.

            Sam's first stop was Zales.  He knew he had to somehow top what the other kid had given Reggie.  Realizing the competition that was in place, he knew he had to reveal himself sometime soon, especially since Oliver Van Rossom was charging him $10 every time Sam used his handwriting-replication software to print his love messages.  His goal was to tell Reggie on Christmas Eve around Midnight.  He would ask her aside and they would stop in the right spot—right underneath a piece of mistletoe he had cleverly and secretly placed in the Shack while they were decorating.  He would admit his love for her, give her something extra special, and then (he was very excited about this part) kiss her.  The question was: what to get her?  He saw a $99, 14K gold necklace at Zales, but before he consented to the purchase, he stopped and thought.  This whole "Secret Santa" thing had been costing him a ton of money and somehow, he thought, all the work he was doing at the local computer shop would not be able to support this forever.  A better idea then surfaced.  Since Reggie had asked Sam to the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance (they are in the same grade, after all), he decided to go down to Salon Vivace.  There, he ordered a gift certificate for a haircut and manicure.  "There, that was expensive enough," he thought as he handed over his debit card to pay for the gift.

            Sam, upon exiting the jewelry store, did not notice Twister walking in the store two seconds later.  Twister had the same thoughts as Sam regarding the necessity for him to admit his crush.  He didn't have a plan like Sammy's, but he did plan on putting a note in with her gift explaining everything, especially how he had convinced his Aunt Cleotilda to write his love letters for her as a "favor".  The prize money he had won recently for his top-notch movies, however, was enough to purchase the necklace, but he decided to be a little more creative.  He walked down to Brookstone. Initially, he had his eye set on a personal electronic massager, but he thought the better of it. Instead, he bought Reggie a Slim Profile CD player, which was slightly more expensive.  She could definitely use that for college, he thought.

Reggie, on the other hand, was spending her time and money at Things Remembered. Since Twister was going to take his road test two days after Christmas, she ordered him an engraved keychain since he would be receiving an Acura RSX for Christmas (at least that's what Mr. Rodriguez had said). Just before walking in there, she had purchased a pair of clip-on mirrored sunglasses for Sam. She thought he would look cool in those.

When it was time for them to meet up and head to the car, the four of them passed the classic Christmas sight at any American mall-Santa Claus.

"Hey, look. There's Santa Claus!" Twister pointed out.

"Funny. I thought Santa had a grudge against you, remember?" Otto questioned back.

"Oh yeah," Twister thought. His thoughts flashed back to when he was 6 years old. His big brother, Lars, being the bully he used to be, convinced Twister that Santa Claus was not a jolly old man who carried a sack of toys to give out, but was instead a diabolical criminal who stole childrens' toys and took the kids with him. The toys and kids (who he would "freeze") were supposedly in his bag. When Sandy and Raul told their young son that Santa was coming to visit on Christmas Eve (they had hired an actor to come to the house), Twister was very frightened. That night, he waited in the closet for Santa to arrive, holding a baseball bat in his hand. When he heard "Ho ho ho" by the closet, he jumped out and swung the bat. The bat hit Santa right between the legs, causing him to shriek in a high-pitched voice, double up, and fall to the ground. Lars fell to the floor laughing and Sandy fainted. Christmas at the Rodriguezes had never been the same since.

"Haha. Bust!" the two guys and girl yelled as they began to chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah. Very funny," Twister replied.

"Reggie, what do you think about Santa?" Sam asked.

"Well, while I don't believe that there really is a Santa Claus, I think his spirit lies within all of us. It's the spirit of giving that makes this time of year so fun. Why did you ask, Sammy?"

"Oh, just curious," Sam innocently replied.

"OK guys. Everybody done? I have to get back home to meet up with Trish & Sherry," Reggie explained.

"Why? What are you girls gonna do?" Otto inquired.

"We're going to solve this Secret Santa mystery once and for all!" Reggie exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh great. Hope she doesn't find out yet," thought Twister and Sam almost simultaneously as they headed towards the parking garage.    

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Meanwhile, Ray had walked down to the local Mazda dealer. He was very proud of his daughter. She had had a tough 18 years. Despite the death of her mother and having to deal with her sometimes pompous brother, she rarely showed any emotional distress. Her talents and personality had brought her far. Not only was she the only girl on the previously all-male street hockey team, but had also had a 3.95 GPA, had won a scholarship to University of California at Berkeley for Journalism, and had won many awards both for her surfing skills and character, including a guaranteed college internship from the California Press Association and "Young Achiever of the Year" from the Ocean Shores Gazette.

As a reward, Ray decided to invest the extra college money he didn't have to spend in a car for Reggie. He wanted something safe, but something she could use and enjoy driving. His search had led him to the Mazda 6. He had negotiated a price on the 220-horsepower sports sedan with a 5-speed manual transmission. The only thing left to do was to pick the color, pick up the car in 5 days, and somehow surprise Reggie.

"So, Mr. Rocket. What color will it be?" the salesman asked.

Ray knew the answer. He had consulted Otto, Sam, and Twister. They had a hard time deciding until they realized that the perfect answer was right in front of them. They decided to match the car color to the red color of Reggie's favorite "rocket" shirt.

"Redfire Metallic," Ray answered.

After signing a few papers, Ray left the dealership and walked down to the jewelry store. He had another surprise up his sleeve. Reggie didn't know about this one either and neither did Otto. As he conducted business and made his purchase inside, Ray knew that he would be spending a lot of money in the near future, but he knew it would be well worth it. 

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A/N: Just a note, I may refer to a lot of "boy band" songs from the past 5 years. The only reason I am doing that is that their holiday songs seem to fit this story well.

I'm also sure that some people will recognize who I am after seeing the reference to the Mazda :)

As for the jewelry store and Ray, that's another twist I am going to add to the story. Bet you can't guess what it is.

By the way, hoped you liked the "Twister moment" I added.

More to come soon. These 4 chapters were easy because I had the idea in my head and I was bored, that's why they came out so quickly.


	5. Truth and Confessions

**Chapter 5 – Truth and Confessions**

            "OK.  Let's go over the evidence, girlfriend," Trish asked.

            Laid out on Reggie's bed were the CDs, non-perishable gifts (the ones that hadn't died or been eaten), and the notes that Reggie had received.  The girls had also created a list of all the "possible suspects," that is the boys that could be responsible, as well as any evidence they could find that would prove (or disprove) their involvement.  They worked for what seemed like hours, comparing writing samples, personalities, and relationships to Reggie.  The list of suspects became smaller and smaller until there were only three boys left, and those three boys did not surprise the girls at all.  Remaining were Twister, Sam, and Trent.

            "Come on, Reg.  You know Trent is wild about you," Sherry added as she tried to convince Reggie that Trent had to be one of the Secret Santas.

            "You know, I'd love to believe you, but I don't think Trent knows me well enough to send me a CD of my favorite music and buy me some of that stuff," Reggie explained.

            "Well, that would leave Twister and Sam.  But are we sure that it could be them?  I mean, Reg, they've been your friends for years and haven't said a word.  It just doesn't seem logical," Trish countered.

            "Let's look then," Reggie suggested.

            So the girls proceeded to examine everything one more time.  While it seemed possible that Reggie's two neighbors could also be her Secret Santas, they weren't 100 percent sure.  That is, until Sherry was curious enough to examine some of the notes from one of the two boys using a magnifying glass.

            "Reggie, look!" she exclaimed as the other two girls rushed over to her side.

            "What is it?" Reggie asked.

            "The handwriting.  If you look closely, it appears as if this was printed off an ink-jet printer.  See the dots?"

            The two girls looked in the magnifying glass, and sure enough, the magnified handwriting showed that it was made of pixels (dots).

            "I guess that means that the letters were made by a computer.  But why do they look so realistic?" questioned Trish.

            Reggie thought for a minute, then it hit her.  Sam had shown her a new program at the computer store that could create fonts that simulated real handwriting.  It looked so good that even Raymundo couldn't tell that a computer wrote a sample that she and Sam had brought back to the Shore Shack.

            "Well, I guess who we know who's behind door number 1," Trish joked after Reggie told them her revelation.

            "Wait a second, Reg.  Now that I think of it, the name Zorro sounds quite familiar," Sherry added.

            "You're right," Reggie replied.  "Let's check it out on the Internet."

            After a brief search on Google, they found what they were looking for.  Zorro was a masked hero who fought against evil in Spanish California.  The part about "Spanish" was what the girls were looking for. The connection to Spanish gave it away: Twister had to be the other at-large, love-struck boy.

"Oh my," Reggie exclaimed with a sense of surprise. All this time, she had been thinking that some random guy at school was trying to woo her with gifts and impressive words. She had never expected the answer to be right under her nose: her best friends. As reality settled in, the words of a song by Celine Dion popped in to her head:

_Right in front of you, right in front of me,_

_ We were looking for it; somehow, somewhere we couldn't see_

_ But the love was always there, it's been around us everywhere._

_ I had to fall to finally see, that you were right in front of me._

            "So what are you going to do, Reggie?" Trish asked.

            "I have a plan," Reggie said as her two friends gathered around her to listen.

-----------------------------------

Later that night, Sam crept out of his room toward the front door of his house.  In his hand was another note addressed to Reggie.  Little did he know that Twister was about to do the same thing.  Coincidentally, they opened their front doors and closed them at the same time, scaring each other.  Thinking that someone was watching, they looked around, but failed to see each other.  They both crept down their front steps, hearing each other and quickening their pace towards the same target: the Rockets' mailbox.  Soon, their walks turned in to sprints as they both bolted in fear toward their target.  As their paths were in two different directions, they looked to be heading for a collision in the middle of the cul-de-sac, and that's what happened.

            "Hey!" they both yelled as they bumped in to each other and fell to the ground.

            "Shhh!" Sam exclaimed.  "Someone will hear us.  What are you doing out here anyway?"  Sam had noticed the envelope in Twister's hand as he attempted to hide it behind his back.

            "Uh…nothing," Twister hesitantly explained as he watched Sam hide an envelope behind his back.  "What are you doing?"

            "Checking the plants," Sam said.  However, both were suspicious of each other.  As if the idea hit them at the same time, they both shouted:

            "So you're the Secret Admirer, huh!?"

"OK. You got me," Sam acknowledged.

"Yeah, well, I guess you caught me too," Twister responded. "So you're trying to steal my girl, Squid?" he yelled spontaneously

"Me!? I was the first to send her a note," Sam rebutted.

"No you weren't!" replied Twister.

"Yes I was!" Sam snapped back.

"I'll make you wish you weren't, Squid!" Twister yelled as he started moving toward Sam. For a moment, it appeared if the two were going to duke it out right in the middle of the street at 10PM that night. However, before Twister could make his move, Sam yelled "Stop!!" and Twister instinctively froze (not knowing why he did).

"This is silly!" Sam explained. "We can't do this. We're friends, remember? Besides, Reggie would deny us both if she found out how we were acting over her! For her sake, we can't fight." 

Twister nodded his head in agreement and put his fists down. After a few seconds, he added, "So what do we do now? We both can't have her!"

"I don't know," Sam answered. Then he had an idea: whenever any of the guys had needed advice in the past, they always turned to Ray and Tito. Although Tito's Hawaiian proverbs weren't always clear, they did serve as a means of inspiration. The guys both agreed to suspend their gift giving until the traditional exchanges on Christmas Eve night and decided to see Tito and Ray the next day at the Shack.

-----------------------------------

The next day, as Ray and Tito were discussing the plans for Christmas Eve, Sam and Twister, as they had agreed, entered the Shack.

"What can we do for you, little cuzzes?" Tito asked in his usually friendly manner.

"We need some advice, Tito," Twister responded.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Sam proceeded to explain: "It's like this, Tito. We've known Reggie for a long time and, well, she's done so many things for us. She has been a source of comfort, of inspiration, and of friendship. And, as a result, well, Twister and I have grown to think of Reggie as more than just a friend, if you get what I mean. So, not knowing what the other was doing, and being afraid of admitting to her that we had a, you know, a crush on her, we decided to express our feelings anonymously, through cards and gifts. Now we know that both of us have been doing this and we are afraid she will be mad at us or will have to choose one of us, if you get what I mean. We don't want to ruin our friendship but we don't know what she will want when she finds out."

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble," Ray interjected, "but I think she is on to you guys."

"Oh great," Twister blurted out with a sense of dejection in his tone.

"Well, I don't really have an Ancient Hawaiian saying for this one," said Tito. "However, I do remember something from the ancient Greeks. A famous playwright, Sophocles, once said, '_One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love_.'"

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" Sam queried.

"Let me explain," Ray answered. "If you both love Reggie, than that will help find your way out of this dilemma. You guys have been friends, and that affords a special kind of love. Let your friendship help you work through this. Why don't you talk to her in a few days, like when we're together on Christmas Eve?"

"Excellent idea," said Twister. "Thanks Raymundo!"

"Don't mention it," Ray fired back. "Oh, and by the way, due to unforeseen circumstances, we're going to have to move our festivities to our house instead of the Shack. You know one of the reasons why," as he winked at the guys.

"You bet," the two boys echoed back.

"OK, you guys run off now and have fun," Ray suggested.

-----------------------------------

Later that night, Sam sat in his room, wondering if and how he was going to enact his little "mistletoe" plan, especially in light of the recent events. He figured that Ray was right. Besides, maybe she had similar feelings for the two of them. To help out, Sam modified his plan a bit. He went online in search of the perfect Christmas song for them and Reggie. After some searching, he found one. He burned it on to a CD and then called Mr. Rocket.

"Hey, Raymundo," he asked, "can you do me a favor?"

-----------------------------------

A/N: One or two more chapters to go: I might divide the final chapter in to two parts.

I hate to disappoint the Reggie/Trent fans out there, but although I think they could go good together, Sam and Twister are around her more often. Besides, it would be hard to have 3 boys fighting over one girl. As a result, I am going to have to do something with Trent, but don't worry, he won't die. You'll see.


	6. Kiss Me at Midnight

**Chapter 6 – Kiss Me at Midnight**

A/N:  A few words about this chapter.  First, I know the one song I am about to use, "Kiss Me at Midnight," really refers to New Years' Eve.  However, it's on a Christmas album so I'm going to use it for Christmas Eve instead.  Also, Sam's poem that he will use is adapted from a church song I heard called "The Cloud's Veil" by L. Lawton.  I had to take out the religious references in order to make it work (besides, I want to be as secular as possible).

The next 2 chapters might seem to be as though they were in a musical with all the song references I'll be using. However, to save space, I'm only going to add the parts of songs with relevant lyrics.

-----------------------------------------

Finally, all the preparations, shopping, and waiting were over. It was finally Christmas Eve, and of course, it was time for the yearly gift exchange. Now, for some unknown reason, Raymundo told Reggie and Otto that their party would have to be moved from the Shore Shack to their house--something about it being too cold outside, he had said. Still, everyone was there. Not only were the four kids and Ray present, but Tito came with his nephew, Kioni (who had flown in to spend Christmas with Tito and his friends) and Cleo came with Twister (she was in town to visit family, too). Even Crystal Bianco came in to town to visit Reggie, the world-famous "Good 2 Go" reporter from Beach Break several years ago. Most importantly for Ray, Breezy was there as well. Ever since he had met the Sunset Surf clothing rep, things hadn't been the same. She came back frequently to visit Ray and the kids and Ray often took her out on dates. Meanwhile, she had grown close to the kids, especially Reggie. To her, Breezy was becoming more of a mom to her. In fact, they became so close that Reggie even felt comfortable talking to Breezy about "girl issues." Everyone knew that Breezy and Ray were as compatible as peanut butter and jelly. To them, it was only a matter of time.

For poor Reggie, however, the past few days had been a blur. One night, Trent invited her out to dinner at a fairly nice restaurant in town. She thought, "This is it--we're going to start dating." Unfortunately, Trent instead presented her with some sad news. At the end of the school year, he was going to return to New Zealand. Back home, he was able to get a college education for free due to the government system and he was guaranteed a spot because of his athleticism, especially with rugby. Reggie was heartbroken, and so was he. Through the meal, they both appeared as if they could cry. Later that night, they sat together on the pier and stared up at the stars. It was a romantic evening; bittersweet, but romantic. Before she went home, Reggie and Trent shared a long, meaningful kiss, the one they had wanted to share ever since their eyes met that fateful day 6 years ago. That night, Reggie thought she would eventually burst in to tears and would be locking herself in her room through the holidays. However, to her surprise, she never got to that point, and she eventually figured out why: she had two friends who loved her dearly, and their apparent dedication to her kept her strong. "Maybe this was all meant to be," she pondered.

The party was very casual. The food was wonderful--Tito brought a roast pig for pulled pork, Twister and Cleo brought _Ensalada de Navidad_ (Christmas salad) as well as some traditional Mexican Christmas sweets, and Breezy brought a bunch of holiday cookies. Of course, there was also a ton of chips, vegetables and dip, and other typical finger foods. Besides eating and talking, the group played Charades, Monopoly, and other card games. 

Finally, the clock struck 11:30. The hour had come for the kids to exchange their gifts (of course, they would open their gifts from their families the next day). Otto started by giving Twister and Sam their gifts. Twister was very excited about the Best Buy gift card and Sam loved his new hockey mask--a wall of stones was painted outside with a squid on top wearing a yellow shirt just like Sam's. Sam smiled when he saw it--they didn't call him Sam "Stonewall" Dullard for nothing. Reggie wasn't surprised that Otto hadn't given her a gift yet--she expected to get it tomorrow.

Reggie gave out her gifts next. Twister was very happy with the keychain that Reggie bought. With his initials on it, he knew it would be harder for Lars to get away with stealing the set of car keys he would get from his parents (little did he know that he would be getting his own car shortly). When Sam put on his new clip-on sunglasses, everyone laughed as Sam looked so cool. In fact, he reminded everyone of a military pilot, as they have been seen sometimes wearing such sunglasses. Otto would get his gift tomorrow--he knew that. Besides, they had to have something to do with Raymundo on Christmas Day.

Then Twister took his turn, giving Otto the latest video of young professional surfers. Of course, Otto had recently entered some local pro competitions and did fairly well in them, so this was nothing new to him. However, he still watched those videos so he could study what others were doing and try to formulate some new moves to win future competitions. As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Sam received a new wireless keyboard and optical mouse for his computer, which Sam had really wanted. Now he could work his computer from his bed, which was several feet away. Reggie was puzzled why Twister hadn't given her anything, but she suspected there was a reason why.

When it was Sam's turn, he gave Otto an alarm clock that played surf tunes instead of the normal and annoying "beep, beep, beep." Twister got a subscription to a comic book magazine. To the dismay of his mother, Twister still loved comics; however, he no longer reacted as he did the one time he read a comic book from Sammy about an alien neighbor and, after reading it, thought Mr. Stimpleton was an alien. Sure, his imagination still ran wild occasionally, but not as much as it had 7 years ago. Again, Reggie didn't receive anything, and again, she was suspicious.

By the time they were finished exchanging gifts, it was 11:55 PM. At that time, Sam asked Reggie, "Reg, would you mind coming with me in to the kitchen for a second? I need to talk to you."

"Sure Sammy," Reggie replied. She knew what this was about.

"Uh, Reggie," Sam began nervously. "There's something I need to tell you. When I moved here, I wasn't sure that I would ever fit in. Then I met you. Your Zine and my knowledge of computers brought us together. Later, when I tried to play hockey with you guys, Otto and Twister completely busted my chops. But you didn't; you told them to lay off. Ever since, you have been there for me during my good times and bad. You taught me how to surf, to get on the ski lift, and to always look at the positives. No matter how many times I beefed or how often I was teased, you were there to offer me a hand and a smile. It's like this: we have so much in common, and our interests have brought us closer together. Whenever I'm around you, all my cares drift away. Your voice is music to my ears. Reggie, I think I'm in love with you. I'm one of your Secret Santas."

"Well, Sammy," Reggie explained, "I do feel the same way about you. We have a lot in common, Sammy. And I can never stand to see you hurt physically or emotionally. Besides, I think you're kinda cute. I don't know if I'm in love--it's hard for me to explain, but I feel the same way about you and Twister. I guess it's because you and Twister are like brothers to me, and I love you guys as if you were in my family. Of course, I could still date one of you if I ever wanted to because you're not really my brothers by blood. However, I'm not saying that I might not date or even marry one of you guys. I just don't know yet, and I don't want to rush something I'm not sure of. Besides, there might be a girl out there who is waiting for you to come along (or maybe there's one for Twister instead), and you won't have to worry about me. You know me--I'll survive no matter what." She winked at Sam as she said this

"Reggie, I could never forget you. Here, I want you to read my card," Sam rebutted as he handed her his gift. Reggie opened up the card. Inside was a poem that almost brought her to tears once again:

_Even though the rain hides the stars,  
even though the mist swirls the hills  
even when the dark clouds veil the sky,  
I'll be by your side.  
  
Even when the sun shall fall in sleep,  
even when at dawn the sky shall weep,  
even in the night when storms shall rise,  
I'll be by your side. I'll be by your side._

"That's beautiful, Sammy," Reggie cried out. "But why does it seem so pessimistic?"

"Well, to put it simply," Sam began to explain as Reggie opened her salon gift certificate, "you've been there for me, so I feel an equal obligation to be there for you. Nobody's immune from dark times, I know. When yours come, know this: if you ever need me, you should know that you can always come to me, no matter what." And Sam was right: since he was going to the same college as Reggie, the two of them could still be friends and come back to visit Ocean Shores whenever they wanted. After Reggie thanked him, Sam said, "No problemo, but could you do me two favors?" He could hear the song he had given Raymundo getting louder. "It must be time," he thought.

"Sure. Anything!" Reggie answered happily.

"Stand right here, and look up," Sam instructed her. Reggie complied and then saw it: the familiar green leaves with red berries and white ribbon. She was standing under mistletoe that had been cleverly been placed in the kitchen doorway. The music she heard in the background seemed to reinforce the hint of what she and Sam had to do. 

_Celebrating  
No more waiting  
Our time has arrived  
Feel the beat of my heart  
As the countdown starts  
Just look into my eyes..._

Now she knew what he was up to. She bent down, and their lips touched as the two kissed each other for the very first time.

_Kiss me at midnight (heyyea)   
Dancing till the morning light (ohho...)  
Partying till the New Year   
All of my friends are here and then the time is right  
Kiss me at midnight_

"Wow," thought Reggie. "That was powerful." Since she knew that Twister felt the same way about her, he asked Sam if he could talk to Twister alone. He smiled and nodded, and Reggie called Twister in to the kitchen as Sam left, still a little red from blushing. Ray and Tito smiled at each other; they knew what had happened. Kioni and Cleo even gave Sam a few hi-fives.

Reggie started with a story that was similar to what she had told Sam: "Ever since we've been little kids, we've been the best of friends. We've done almost everything together as friends, but you've grown so close to me, I think of you as another brother. Twister, I love you, but I don't know how to explain my love--it's more of a brotherly love. When you were lost and drowning in the shipping channel, I felt as if a part of me was dying. I couldn't stand to live if you hadn't. That's the kind of love I have for you. Sure, you're very cute, especially in a swimsuit with that little charm necklace you wear." Reggie chuckled as she continued. 

"But right now, I can't stand to choose between you and Sammy. I know you've been playing Santa to try to express your feelings. Twister, don't feel embarrassed to tell me if you love me. I can take it--I'm Rocket Girl, after all. I love both of you guys as if you were family, and I want us to stay this way for now. Now I want you to understand that I don't know what the future will bring. Even though Sammy and I are going to the same college, I'm not going to let that change anything; we'll be back and we'll still be just friends, and for now, nothing more and definitely nothing less. Maybe I'll be dating one of you guys in the future; maybe we'll marry. Maybe I'll find a different guy who matches me perfectly who I want to spend my life with. Maybe you guys will find other girls. I don't want you guys to be jealous of the other at any time. Whoever I go out with later, respect that and support me--please do it for me as I know you would want the best for me."

Twister agreed. He did want the best for Reggie. He gave her his gift, which she shrieked in surprise as she opened--the CD player was perfect and would go great in her dorm room. Although there was no poem in Twister's card, it still rattled her heart as she read it. "I do love you with all my heart, and I always will," Twister reminded her.

"Thanks, Twist. Hey, can you do me one favor?"

"Sure, Reg." Twist smiled as he replied.

"Look up," Reggie instructed.

Twister looked up and saw he was standing in the same doorway that Sam had Reggie stand in. Their lips met in a fairly-deep kiss as the refrain to Sam's song repeated:

_Kiss me at midnight (heyyea)   
Dancing till the morning light (ohho...)  
Partying till the New Year   
All of my friends are here and then the time is right  
Kiss me at midnight_

Afterwards, they both returned to the living room. Like Sam, Twister was blushing. Kioni smiled and Cleo went over to tease her cousin, who had obviously just received his first kiss. Then Otto did something that nobody expected, he produced a piece of mistletoe from his pocket, held it over Cleo's head, and kissed her on the cheek. Everybody cheered.

"Hey guys. It seems like love's in the air right now, but I have two announcements!" Ray cut in. The room fell silent as they awaited his words.

-------------------------------

A/N: Had to add the Otto/Cleo thing in. Wouldn't be fair to leave him out.

One more chapter to go :) 

I decided to bunch both surprises in to one chapter. It may be long, but it will end the story more quickly.

Hope you've enjoyed this story so far.


	7. Big Things in Small Packages

**Chapter 7 – Big Things in Small Packages**

A/N: Well guys, this is it.

----------------------------

"I think I'll start with the biggest surprise," Ray announced.

Ray asked his kids to come by his side and then asked Breezy to come over and sit on the couch. Meanwhile, he placed another CD in to his player. Sure, the song he had was written by a bunch of young men who were far younger than he was, but he felt the message was appropriate.

_I feel the magic whenever you're near  
I feel it even this time of the year  
Because I love you girl  
I always will_

"Breezy," he started, "you know how hard it has been for me and the kids after my wife died 14 years ago. Since then, while I know that nobody can exactly replace her, I believed that she would bring to me someone who she thought would make a good mother for her kids and a good wife for me. Breezy, from all the time we've spent together, I know she sent you. Your personality reminds me so much of her and I have seen how well you have bonded with Otto and Reggie. I just can't imagine life without you."

_And now I know the moment is right  
The moment is right!_

Otto and Reggie stared in amazement as Ray got down on one knee and produced a small box from his pocket. He opened up the box, exposing a beautiful diamond ring. "Breezy, will you marry me?"

_Because I've been waiting to give  
This gift tonight  
I'm down on my knees  
There's no better time  
It's something to last for as long as you live  
Tonight I'm gonna give you  
All my heart can give_

Breezy was speechless. She hadn't expected this, especially on Christmas Eve in front of everybody. "Ray, there's nobody else I'd rather be with. Of course I will!" Breezy said softly with tears in her eyes.

"Otto?" Ray asked. "Can you bring that mistletoe over here?"

"Sure thing Dad...and Mom" Otto replied. He went over to them and held the mistletoe over them as Ray slipped the ring on to Breezy's finger. The two then exchanged a long, passionate kiss. Everybody burst out in applause.

"You know, Ray," Breezy said, "I have the perfect song to sing in honor of this occasion." Everybody was anxious to listen, as they knew that one of Breezy's hidden talents was her musical ability--and she was damn good at it. She walked over to the digital piano that Sam had loaned the Rockets recently (for an unrelated reason) and began to play, with Ray standing right beside her with his arm pulling her in close to him as she sang.

_I never felt alone   
I was happy on my own   
And who would ever know there was something missing   
I guess I didn't see, the possibility   
It was waiting all the time   
But it never crossed my mind   
Till you opened up my eyes   
Now all I think about is you   
  
You in my life   
In my dreams   
In my heart I know it's true   
That I belong with you   
Because of you in my world   
In my arms   
I have everything and now   
I can't imagine what I'd do   
Without you   
  
I never thought that love could be   
Such a curiosity   
But what attracted you to me   
Was so unexpected   
But it was waiting all the time   
And it never crossed my mind   
Until you opened up my eyes   
Now all I think about is   
  
You in my life   
In my dreams   
In my heart I know it's true   
That I belong with you   
  
Because of you in my world   
In my arms   
I have everything and now   
I can't imagine what I'd do   
  
I can't imagine what I'd do   
Without you   
  
Without you _

Reggie was so touched by this evening. In the matter of one night, she had received the best gifts she could possibly ask for. Not only did she find out in person that she had two "angels" among her, who really cared about her and vowed to be there for her, but she received a gift she had hoped for almost all her life: someone she could once more call "Mom."

"So, Dad," Reggie asked, "if that's your big surprise, what's the other surprise?" Her question was answered as Sam and Twister came downstairs with a card and two boxes. "I wonder what this could be in such a small box?" she pondered as she opened the card. The card was signed by all four guys and Breezy and was a congratulatory card in honor of all her accomplishments. Sam then handed her the first box, which she was told she had to open first anyway. Inside was a small tape player. She took it out and pressed Play. Immediately, she realized that what she heard was strangely familiar.

_Zoom zoom zoom. Zoom zoom zoom (Yeah, zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom)_

_Zoom zoom zoom. Zoom zoom zoom._

_Yeah zoom zoom zoom, yeah zoom zoom zoom._

After a few seconds, she identified it as the song used in the Mazda TV commercials. She thought she knew what was in the other box, but she knew it couldn't be possible. Ray knew she had always wanted her own set of wheels from the day she returned home with her driver's license. She just didn't think he could afford it, especially in light of the now upcoming wedding. With a smile of optimism, she opened up the other box. Inside was a key--attached to a remote control for the door locks. Reggie began to cry and uttered a soft shriek of joy as she took the key out of the box.

"Look outside, princess," Ray suggested.

Reggie rushed to the door, followed by the other boys, Clio, and the adults. In the driveway was the red Mazda 6 that Ray had picked out for her at the dealership a few days back. Reggie's eyes lit up as she studied the vehicle. She loved the way it looked. The exterior with its spoiler and air dam gave the car a "Watch it: I'm not your average sedan" look to it. Seeing that it was red, she immediately knew that her favorite shirt had something to do with the color choice. She had always wanted a stick shift--Sherry had taught Reggie how to operate it on her dad's car and Reggie immediately fell in love with it. Now she had one of her own, along with 220 horses to control with it. From the window sticker that was on the car, she saw that the car also had side airbags ("I guess that was Dad's idea," she thought), a moonroof, and a Bose stereo. She couldn't wait to load her favorite CDs and crank up the volume with the top open and her friends right beside her.

"Merry Christmas, Rocket Girl," the kids shouted in unison. Otto went over to his sister and hugged her. She returned his embrace and was soon joined by Ray and Breezy.

"Well, don't just stand there!" Cleo shouted. "Let's take it for a spin!"

"Go right ahead," Ray added. "Just don't go too far. Remember, Tito, Kioni, and Breezy are coming over for brunch tomorrow at 11."

"No problemo," Reggie replied as she, Clio, Sam, Twister, and Kioni ran toward the car. Otto stayed behind as he knew he would have plenty of chances to ride in that car. She was his sister, after all. Hey, he could even find some way to get the car for a day. He had his ways of getting her to give in to him (as most siblings do). Besides, he wanted to sit down and congratulate the soon-to-be Mrs. Rocket, his friend and, soon to be, his mother.

----------------------------

Later that night, after everyone had gone home, Reggie lay in her bed. She was fighting back tears, as she had many times before when she was sad, frustrated, lonely, or emotional; however, this time, they weren't tears of pain. They were tears of joy. In one night, she had kissed two boys, who she had known for a long time and loved very dearly. She had received a new mother and then a new car for herself. She knew that, in spite of all she had encountered in life, both good and bad, someone had been watching her. Someone who loved her more than life itself and had brought her so many people who cared about her. Never would she feel lonely again.

"Thanks, Mom. Wherever you are," she whispered as she closed her eyes. No doubt about it, she thought. This was definitely the best Christmas ever.

THE END

-------------------------------

A/N: The song that Breezy sang is called "You." I picked it especially because Jane Krakowski (the woman who plays Ally McBeal and provides Breezy's voice) actually recorded the vocals for this song along with pianist Jim Brickman. There is a holiday version of the song, but I couldn't find the lyrics, so I stuck with the original version.

Hope you liked this fanfic. I don't know when or if I will be writing another. If I get another good idea, I'll try to write it, although I have a feeling I will have less and less free time as the year progresses.

Peace out!

Oh, by the way, only 101 shopping days left until Christmas as of September 15 :)


End file.
